Meet KTV the Remix Finalist Cheng “Hano” Lin

On Tuesday night, four finalists in KTV, the Remix, brought their ‘A’ game to the stage in the last round of competition to determine who will walk away with ten thousand dollars in cash. It has been a journey of ups and downs which they have taken in good strike, round by round. Tonight, we go up close and personal with one of the contenders, who thrills the crowd with the drop of his name. His is a story of passion for the stage, love for music and a knack for performance. News Five Duane Moody sits with Hano.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Cheng Hano Lin, better known as Hano, has been taking the stage by storm in Channel Five’s KTV the Remix. He’s the only participant to have twice received perfect scores from the judges during the karaoke competition and is a crowd favorite. Hano is overwhelmed by the support that he has been getting and the reaction from the public.

Cheng Hano Lin

Cheng Hano Lin, Finalist, KTV the Remix

“I was qualified for the competition and all that. And I felt that it was a surprise to me cause I didn’t expect that I would reach into the list of fifteen. And it comes with the opportunity that hey maybe I can clinch this opportunity and get back to what I love about performing about the arts. I’m not the person that always comes with the confidence. I have a shy personality; I don’t know why, but I am actually a very shy person and I don’t feel comfortable within the field…although I have a passion within this field, I don’t think I would have been able to reach this far. Whenever I get the thirty….at the first moment, I was actually happy about it. But after in the backstage I started to feel, what am I going to do about this. The perfect score always make me feel nervous because what can I do to make the next round of the show be catching up with this grade.”

The thirty-two-year-old Taiwanese-Belizean relocated to Belize with his family twenty-two years ago at the age of ten. His passion for the creative arts goes way back, when he enrolled in the arts program at Saint John’s College. There, he topped the CXCs in Arts for the country as he continued to excel in visual arts. Director Kirkland Smith of the SJC Art Center says that drawing painting and mixed media skills have been carried over into his performing arts.

Kirland Smith

Kirland Smith, Director, Art Center, St. John’s College

“He has always been creative. He is an artistic genius, as I would describe him. He is one of the students who you don’t need to give advice to, to improve his work. He would go out and get the work done and when he finishes his piece it is very impressive. Whenever he works, I am always in awe of his production so it is no surprise to me that he is doing very well in this competition.”

But just before the start of the show, Hano made the difficult decision to quit his job and take care of his father, who became ill. Even in sickness, his father, mother and brother, have been supporting him on this journey.

Cheng Hano Lin

“I jumped the field into business, to the accounting field. But after all, that where I start doing my career at enterprises in Belize: Belize Bank, Belize Corporate and also work with Estevan Perera in Belama. So I have all my career in the business field. After some issue happened to my family as I expressed in round number one that I have been saying that my father is currently in an unhealthy state. He received a hypertension stroke and I quit my job to take care of my father.”

Cheng Hsun Lin

Cheng Hsun Lin, Brother

“People always say I am the manager, but I am not really his manager. I hope in the future, probably yes, but because I am his only brother so nobody could help so I am the one who is there as the big brother. I always bring this thing backstage when I go with him because it is a Captain America shield to protect the people. So I always stay behind and protect him.”

Never in his wildest dreams did Hano expect to be a finalist in the competition. But now that he is, he intends to be himself and incorporate all aspects of the creative arts in his presentation.

Cheng Hano Lin

“All I can say is that I just do whatever I can because it is something that I like and it just pull out everything I have in me. I just like to add all the elements in my performances because I understand that singing should also contain other elements to grab attention for every category—every age or range that people will get to love about the show. So I would like to put all the elements together in the show that I do.”

Duane Moody

“That is why you bring the props?”

Cheng Hano Lin

“So that’s why I bring the props and try to do the dancing because actually I don’t really dance much. (Laughs)”

…his most favorite genres were the Belizean and disco-themed weeks. But if Hano were to win the title, what will he do with the prize money?

Cheng Hano Lin

“Actually, I will be putting to the medical use of my father because he’s been supportive to me because at the beginning, I was uncertain about if I should be going to the show or not because he is ill. But he told me just do what you wish to do because he know that I love performing.”

Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.